Apple launches wireless AirPods and Lightning EarPods

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The rumours were true – there's no headphone jack on the new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus. And Apple wants you to go wireless with the new AirPods.

Apple has officially launched the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and as the rumours suggested, there's no 3.5mm headphone jack on either new iPhone.

Instead, the iPhone 7 will come bundled with a new pair of Apple Lightning EarPods (below), which use the Lightning connection, naturally, rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack connection.

As well as the new bundled EarPods, the iPhone 7 will ship with an adaptor for connecting your existing 3.5mm headphones to the iPhone 7 (which looks rather clunky).

But also new was a completely wireless pair of earphones, which, as rumoured last year, are called the Apple AirPods (above).

The AirPods are wireless and feature a new W1Chip, sport infrared sensors to stop and start music when they're removed from your ears, have touch controls and come with a compact charging case.

MORE: These are all the Apple Lightning headphones available to buy

If you don't fancy using Apple's earphones - we gave the existing EarPods four stars - then you will have to use the adaptor, which Apple is including free with the iPhones.

This connects to the Lightning port and then to the 3.5mm headphone jack on your headphones.

The all-important price? The new EarPods will come free with the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, or cost £29/$29 bought separately, while the wireless AirPods will cost £159/$159.

MORE: Apple AirPods hands-on review

MORE: Apple Lightning EarPods review

MORE: Apple Lightning headphones and the iPhone 7: what you need to know

Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).